Ashia (7 page)

Possessiveness and power both welled up inside her with a rushing force. Reid occupied the room with a thin, petite woman with dark glossy hair and an exotic look. Each fluttering eyelash, each coy smile the woman gave dropped Ashia’s mood further.

Could this woman be any more obvious? What truly bothered her was how Reid laughed with her and seemed to be having a fine time as they worked around one another.

This woman had the top few buttons of her shirt undone. Her pencil skirt seemed to be hiked up even more than it should have been and even if Reid were blind—which he wasn’t—he would have been able to have a front-row seat to the blatant view she kept offering him when she would bend towards him and touch his shoulder. Right before they laughed again.

She wanted to hurt something. Maim something. Destroy something. And starting with that woman right there beside
her
man was a brilliant place to begin, in her mind.

Forcing herself to leave, she flashed back to her house, body still shaking with the intensity of her anger. She let the dogs in and fed them then went to a chair she created out of thin air.

Anger still coursed through her body as she sat there on her cloud-soft chair with a golden goblet adorned with jewels in her left hand filled to the brim with the rich ambrosia she no longer drank as often. Today was a day to have it.

Cursing Devi for not being there, she pursued her lips and sighed heavily. How the hell was she supposed to do the right thing if she didn’t have any knowledge of what the right thing was supposed to be?

An ugly feeling of jealousy moved over her, towards Reid and Devi. She didn’t want to think about Reid so she tried to figure out why she had some about Devi.

Because she is off with her man and to see a best friend.

Would her brain
ever
stop with the unwanted commentary? She took a long drink and groaned in pleasure as the drink flowed past her lips. Still, it wasn’t enough to soothe her raging emotions. It was true. She and Devi had become good friends but they’d not known each other for very long. Apparently she and this Saffron woman had known each other much longer. It bothered her. And she really didn’t want to think about why that was so she turned her attention back to thoughts of Reid.

Unfortunately all she could see was that woman thrusting her breasts into his face as he worked. The sound of thunder boomed above her and she felt it resonate through her soul as her anger began to boil.

Reid had no business being so close to a woman other than her. She froze in the motion of taking another drink. She frowned.
What do I care? He is a mortal. Nothing more. A distraction.

It wasn’t true and she knew the writing on the wall indicated he meant so much more to her than that. What would she do? Could it work? She thought of the first time she’d met Devi and the advice she’d given her.

‘It is possible for gods and humans to fall in love. So what one may believe to be a dalliance, of which they will eventually tire, could be the beginning of their everything. I hear you know when it’s love and even for us, with all our power and immortality. To be loved and to love seems even more important.’

She almost dropped her drink at the recollection.
So what one may believe to be a dalliance…
That was exactly what her time with Reid was supposed to have been. Nothing more than that. And certainly not the beginning of her everything. Apparently somehow, her heart and soul didn’t get that memo. For whether she liked it or not, he was more to her than a momentary distraction.

Shit!
A myriad of emotions tore through her and she drained her drink in one long gulp and changed into one of her dresses she preferred to wear. The moment the soft material covered her—its twilight hue shimmering in the light—she felt marginally better. She stayed there until her acute hearing picked up on the sound of Reid’s vehicle parking out in the front yard. She stayed in her dress but removed the chair and goblet before he reached her, opting instead to go sit on the loveseat bench and watch the dogs continue to run around.

He stepped out onto the back porch and she looked up, her breath catching in her throat. Reid looked even better than he had when she’d seen him at work.
Where that woman flaunted her wares to him.
Her anger re-emerged and she clenched a fist to keep from lashing out as every fibre in her being wanted to. It wasn’t easy, especially when on the air she could smell the cloying and sickly sweet scent of that other woman on his skin.

“Hey,” he said, coming to her side.

She didn’t respond when he brushed his lips over hers. Instead she tried not to gag from the perfume clinging to him.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

“You have a good day?” she countered. His smile nearly broke her heart. No, everything wasn’t okay.

* * * *

Reid watched Ashia as he got ready for work. She’d been acting differently for the past few days. Anytime he brought it up she would get this hard look in her eyes and wave him off. He didn’t like it. If he knew what he’d done he would have tried to fix it.

Picking up his messenger bag that held his computer, he shouldered it and looked around for the woman who had come to mean so much to him.

“Ashia?” Nothing. He went looking for her but couldn’t find her in the house and paused at one of the windows leading to the backyard. No sign of her still. Moving to a different view he peered out to the front of the house. Her vehicle sat parked next to his.

“Okay, so where did she go?”

Glancing at his watch, he realised he would be late if he didn’t leave . With a puff of disappointment he called for her one more time then headed on his way when he still didn’t get a response.

On his way to the first job he withdrew his cell phone and tried to call her. It went straight to voicemail.
Maybe she’s in surgery.

He shook his head. That didn’t make sense. How did she get to work? Her truck was next to his by the house.
Is she this upset with me that she’s avoiding me?

He almost turned around and headed back. Today was his last day with this one particular job, then he would be back at her house to finish updating her computer. He was looking forward to being there with the dogs and seeing her as soon as she came home.

Leaving a message for her, he put his phone down and continued on his way. Once he made it to his job, he tried to focus on his work.

His fingers flew over the keys as he typed in commands and code.

“Not too many more hours to put up with me, Reid. I’m sorry it’s been such a chore,” Sally said.

He forced a smile on his face. “Not a chore, Sally. You’re very easy to get along with.” A lie. Not a total one, she was easy to get along with.
Although I understand why she has to be with me, this place requires an escort at all times but, geez, she’s overly bubbly and vivacious. I prefer working alone and in silence.

Reid glanced up at her as he reached for his bag. Her short skirt combined with a tight blouse with a few top buttons undone, and a blazer of the same colour as her skirt. Nice high heels finished off the picture. Her dark blonde hair drawn back from her face in some kind of combination of sexy and business-professional style completed her look.

He chuckled as he got back to work. His phone rang and he ignored it, trying to get this bit done. They went to take a break and he pulled out his phone in the cafeteria while Sally got her own food since he couldn’t leave the room without her.

It was a missed call from Ashia. But no message. He quickly dialled her number and waited for her to answer.

“Hello?”

“Hey,” he said, a smile lifting his lips. “I missed you this morning. Where’d you go? And how are you?”

A short moment’s pause filled with tension hung between them and he lost his smile. What was going on between them?

“I tried calling you earlier.”

He glanced around the room but it didn’t seem anyone was paying him any attention. “I know. I’m sorry I missed it, I was in the middle of work.”

“Is that what you’re calling it?”

He frowned. “Excuse me?”

She sighed and said, “Never mind. I just wanted to tell you I have a late night so if you were back for dinner I won’t be. I should be home about nine. I’ll swing by in the afternoon and check on the dogs. Have to go.”

Reid stared at his cell. She’d hung up on him. This was getting really weird. What the hell was going on? She was pissed about something, but he wasn’t sure he understood what about. It couldn’t be the fact he’d missed her call, she had a business and knew sometimes you just couldn’t take the call. Sally stopped before him and he sighed in mounting frustration. She looked at him askance, he shook his head and led the way. Something to take care of when he got home.

He thought about that as he walked with Sally. He’d come to think of Ashia’s house as his home. Liv loved it there and to be honest so did he.

“Everything okay?” Sally paused in the elevator and glanced at him as he entered behind her.

He pursed his lips. “I’m really not sure. Nothing I can deal with right now though.”

She gave him a sympathetic smile and thankfully didn’t pry further. While he finished up for the day, he ran things around in his mind trying to figure out what had happened to make Ashia upset.

At the end of the day, Sally escorted him down to the first floor. At the door leading to the parking lot, she stopped him with a hand on his arm. He looked into her light blue eyes.

“My boss wanted to give you this as well for getting the work done so well and ahead of schedule.” She handed him an envelope.

He took it and put in the pocket of his messenger bag.

“Thank you, Reid Jacobs. I’ve enjoyed spending time with you these past few days.”

“Likewise, Sally Mason.”

They shook hands and she gave him a sparkling smile before she walked away. An odd feeling came over him and he swore he felt like he was being watched. Not by the multiple cameras this business had in it but by someone else. Shaking off the feeling, he took a deep breath and froze when the evocative scent he equated to Ashia tantalised his senses.

“Ashia?” he whispered, casting his gaze around. It wasn’t surprising that he didn’t see her.
Get a grip, Reid. Why would she be here? She’s at work.
Blowing out his breath, he hastened down to his vehicle.

He headed to the vet clinic. After parking next to Ashia’s Avalanche, he got out and went up to the door. Locked. He knocked, calling her name. Nothing.

Damn. He checked his watch. She wouldn’t be done for about another hour. But what was she doing in there alone? No other staff cars were in the lot. Hand up to the glass, he peered in then withdrew his cell and called her.

No answer but he did hear a click
.
With a frown, he tried the door again. This time it opened so he pushed his way inside. Stopping in the lobby, he searched for signs of where she might be.

From the back of the clinic he noticed a soft golden glow. He made his way down there. A few of the overnight residents were barking and it covered his movement. The staff break room door sat open allowing him to stare into the room as he neared.

He stumbled to a stop like he’d run into a brick wall. Blinking a few times to ensure he wasn’t imagining things, he paused then blinked again. The vision of Ashia standing in her dress hadn’t changed. The form-fitting dress, which barely covered what the good Lord had given her, teased him with its golden shimmer. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. The dress was giving off the light he’d seen.

The rich darkness of her skin was split by an armband of gold that wrapped around three times, depicting a snake. Her hair piled high then cascaded freely down her back. The entire ensemble made her appear elegant and haughty.

“I do not care, Set. I never want to see you here again.”

Set?

“I was just looking around. It’s not like you own this mortal realm.” A tall powerful man stepped into Reid’s view.

She shook her head. “Begone.”

“You are just no fun.” A flash of light and the other man disappeared.

Reid swallowed and tried to figure out what he’d just seen. There had to be a logical explanation.

Ashia turned and stared at him, her eyes and face portraying shock.

“Who are you?” he squeaked out. “Or should I say
what
are you?”

She moved towards him. Regal and cold. Walking around him, she sniffed and glared at him.

“You reek of another’s perfume. Why are you standing before me smelling like another woman?”

His mind tried to keep up but he just couldn’t quite get the entire disappearing act of the other man from his thoughts. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Who was that and where did he go?”

She waved a hand as if his question were inconsequential. “He is of no concern. Answer me.”

There was movement on her arm and his gaze snapped to the armband. His legs wobbled.
Holy shit!
The snake was moving, its golden scales gripping and pulling itself in an elegant slide up her skin.

“Who the hell are you?”

Chapter Seven

“A goddess,” she stated in a cool tone. “That is of little importance. You come to me smelling of that thin, petite woman,” she accused. “She was fawning all over you. That dark-haired woman with her exotic looks who dares think she could covet what is mine.”

Reid didn’t know who she was referring to.

Ashia must have seen it on his face. She walked towards him, her dress moving with her like a living thing—the snake moving along her arm in an agitated manner as if channelling what she was feeling.

Reid gulped, looking at her beautiful face, turned on even with her anger. He tried to focus on what she had said then it dawned on him who she was referring to.

Sally. But how does she know about Sally?

“Sally what a sweet name.” Ashia stopped her advance.